Principal or Associate Electrical Engineer - Data Centres and Mission Critical

Overview

Hoare Lea is a human-centric and planet-conscious engineering consultancy. We offer intelligent and sustainable solutions to complex design challenges for the built environment throughout the UK and further afield. We provide a wide range of engineering and consultancy services, including acoustics, air quality, building services (MEP), fire, lighting, security and sustainability to name but a few. Together, our highly skilled teams use technical expertise and problem-solving skills to bring buildings to life. We ensure that whatever the building, its design is outstanding, and its operations meet the needs of the communities it serves.

We are as committed to providing an environment where everyone can realise their unique potential. So, in joining Hoare Lea, you will experience a business that enriches your knowledge, supports your wellbeing, and welcomes your individuality. You’ll have the opportunity to participate in our 9-day fortnight scheme, thriving community groups, varied social and networking events, and extensive professional and technical development schemes. We also offer an extensive benefits package, including private medical cover, an electric vehicle salary sacrifice scheme, stock options, and 25 days of annual leave (increasing with service), alongside flexible and hybrid working.

Whatever your ambitions or circumstances, our aim is to enable everyone to develop their knowledge, give their best, and enjoy what they do.

About the role

We have an exciting opportunity for a Principal / Associate Electrical Engineer to join our Data Centre & Mission Critical (MCDC) team at Hoare Lea.

Data centres are central to the modern economy and the technology that powers them is evolving rapidly. Our Mission Critical team helps clients navigate these changing requirements. At Hoare Lea you’ll gain a truly unique experience working across the full spectrum of the data‑centre sector — from early-stage site appraisal, masterplanning and feasibility studies through detailed design, live plant upgrades, test‑fits, commissioning and operational optimisation. This breadth means you’ll work on single-building and campus-scale schemes, hyperscale, colocation and enterprise/research clients, and be exposed to cutting‑edge topics such as AI‑ready cooling, high‑density power architectures and low‑carbon integration.

You’ll work across complex live plant upgrades, grey and white space in facilities, electrical design, critical engineering, and due‑diligence reviews of existing facilities. Projects span mainly in the UK, but also across Ireland and Europe.

You will join a collaborative, knowledgeable and highly engaged team with a positive, supportive and flexible culture. Working alongside the Project Leader, you will engage directly with clients, develop designs and produce reports, specifications and guidance, and support testing and commissioning activities to deliver consistent, high‑quality outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Own day-to-day technical delivery of electrical design services for data centre and mission‑critical projects.
• Lead development of initial strategic concepts that meet the brief and regulatory requirements.
• Act as a client‑facing engineer: attend project meetings, interpret and communicate the brief, and maintain stakeholder relationships.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary inputs (sustainability, acoustics, fire engineering, security, etc.) to deliver integrated building and campus solutions.
• Prepare and review design deliverables, specifications and technical reports, and contribute to proposals, scope development and bid content.
• Provide pragmatic technical input during early‑stage site appraisals, masterplanning and test‑fit studies.
• Oversee testing, commissioning and handover activities to maintain resilience and uptime.
• Support monitoring of fee expenditure, resource allocation and project delivery alongside the team leader.
• Mentor and develop ‘next‑gen’ professionals, including apprentices and graduates.

Qualifications

To be successful in this role you’ll need:

• Proven experience as an Electrical Engineer (or closely related role) delivering Mission Critical and Data Centre projects.
• Experience with modern technical delivery processes and software/tools such as Revit, BIM workflows, Electrical OM, Dialux and Relux.
• Demonstrable client-facing consultancy experience working with clients, contractors and architects on design-led projects.
• Strong technical judgement, self-awareness, a collaborative mindset and an open, generous approach to teamwork.
• Experience mentoring and supporting others to develop knowledge, skills and confidence.

Desired specialist experience

• Experience in mission critical and data centre engineering across new-build, live operational upgrades, technical due diligence, feasibility studies and test fits.
• Exposure to large-scale, multi-megawatt data centre developments — from single 30–40MW buildings through to campus schemes in the 100–600MW range.
• Understanding of hyperscale, colocation and enterprise/research data centre environments and differing client drivers around resilience, flexibility, speed to market and scalability.
• Experience of early-stage site appraisal, masterplanning and test-fit studies, assessing site constraints, utility availability, incoming power, planning, topography, flood risk and plant strategy.
• Knowledge of critical power and cooling infrastructure including HV/MV systems, substations, UPS, generators, PDUs, cooling plant and resilient distribution strategies.
• Experience designing for resilience and uptime, including single points-of-failure reviews, FMEA, concurrent maintainability and Tier-aligned design thinking.
• Interest or practical experience in high-density and AI-ready infrastructure (liquid cooling, direct-to-chip, immersion cooling, hybrid air/water solutions).
• Capability delivering works in live operational environments — plant replacement, refurbishment and phased upgrades while maintaining critical services and uptime.
• Experience of complex campus-scale developments and coordinating multidisciplinary inputs (planning, utilities, sustainability, acoustics, air quality, fire engineering, security, infrastructure).
• Appreciation of energy efficiency and sustainability in mission-critical design — PUE reduction, low-carbon strategies, renewables integration, heat reuse, water efficiency and BREEAM / net-zero objectives.
• Experience working across the UK; interest or experience in international markets (particularly mainland Europe and the Nordics) is desirable.

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